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32 Gorgeous Bits of Trivia Loaned to Us by the Chinese Government Decades Ago That They Now Suddenly Want Back

You can accept these facts from our warm, lively hands

32 Gorgeous Bits of Trivia Loaned to Us by the Chinese Government Decades Ago That They Now Suddenly Want Back

December 06, 2023

Facts are like the fun little jot notes of history. They’re happening all around us, and we’d like to take time to fully appreciate the fine folks who scribble them on a Post-It and fling them into the air. They could make our jobs a little easier by placing them on our doorstep, but we have to admit, frolicking around this meadow with this basket is pretty fun.

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32

GRACKED.COM FATHER of the BRIDE The house in Pasadena, California where Steve Martin and Diane Keaton (and their daughter) lived is visited every day by fans, and couples get engaged on the doorstep. The owners strive to keep it picture-perfect. — Source

31

GH6STBUSTERS LADDER-5 -B-HOOK & LAD The Hook & Ladder Company No. 8 Firehouse in Tribeca, NYC was cut in half in 1914 to widen the adjacent street, giving the busters' headquarters its iconic look. CRACKED.COM — Source

30

Most of Trainspotting was shot in the abandoned Wills Tobacco factory in Glasgow. Because of its shoestring budget, cast and crew lived there through the 49 days of filming. Trainspotting CRACKED.COM — Source

29

CRACKED.COM Malcolm x This was the first fiction film to get permission to shoot in Месса. A special crew was assembled, as only Muslims are allowed into the city. — Source

28

THE LOST WORLD JURASSIC PARK The moist microclimate of Fern Canyon, California harbors species not found in the surrounding redwoods, including appropriately prehistoric ferns. CRACKED.COM — Source

27

WEIRD WORLD A Vietnam war vet in his 70s found out he's a pop superstar's dad. US After a DNA search, it was confirmed that William Johnson is the father of Danish superstar Zindy Laursen. CRACKED.COM — Source

26

WEIRD WORLD Rome's garbage workers will get a bonus for not taking any sick days. Between 22 November and 9 January, that is - the mayor wants the city to be totally clean, and this is intended to help. CRACKED.COM — Source

25

WEIRD WORLD The city of Vancouver renamed a beach in honor of a barge that's been stuck there. The barge in question had stayed for over a month, so the city put up sign saying Barge Chilling Beach. CRACKED.COM — Source

24

WEIRD WORLD North and South Korea have finally agreed in principle to end their war. It had been dragging on for 70 years without ever being formally ended, and now they've agreed to do just that - again, in principle. CRACKED.COM — Source

23

WEIRD WORLD A 48-year-old woman lived as her 22-year-old daughter, a university student. She did that for two years, and held a job at a library and had boyfriends who seriously thought she was 22 years old. CRACKED.COM — Source

22

WEIRD WORLD A German court ruled that you can actually get into a workplace accident at home. One man walked from his bed to his desk, fell, and broke his back - and the court ruled that, indeed, this was a workplace accident. CRACKED.COM — Source

21

WEIRD WORLD Google is being sued for failing to live up to its classic Don't be evil motto. Specifically, two ex-Googlers are suing the company for breaching the Don't be evil clause in its contract. CRACKED.COM — Source

20

Crop-eating elephants are a massive problem for farmers. Literally. The solution? Chili peppers. Super hot peppers are grown or hung around crops, and the fumes are none too friendly to an elephant schnoz. CRACKED.COM — Source

19

Color-changing is usually attributed to chameleons, but another, more common animal does the same. Flounder, in addition to burying themselves in sand, can also change their coloration to better blend in. CRACKED.COM — Source

18

The ancient Egyptians considered the flowers of the iris to represent wisdom, faith, and valor. In fact, iris flowers often made an appearance attached to the scepters of the pharaohs. CRACKED.COM — Source

17

The Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia is the largest blackwater swamp in North America. Blackwater refers to dark water, close to black coffee in color, stained by decaying vegetation. CRACKED.COM — Source

16

STEVE JOBS BECAME VEGAN BECAUSE НЕ THOUGHT IT WOULD ELIMINATE THE NEED TO SHOWER OR WEAR DEODORANT. His early coworkers say he was very, very wrong. CRACKED.COM — Source

15

ROBERT PATTINSON TOOK AN OBSESSED STALKER OUT TO DINNER AND BORED HER. Не complained about his life the whole time, and he never saw her again. CRACKED.COM — Source

14

STORE Educators his The CAT in the IN THE CAT DR. SEUSS H WROTE GREEN EGGS AND НАМ ON A BET. Не was trying to prove he could write a kid's book using only 50 words. CRACKED.COM — Source

13

OPRAH GREW UP so POOR THAT SHE WORE POTATO SACKS AND WAS CALLED SACK GIRL AT SCHOOL. She went on to become the first Black woman billionaire. CRACKED.COM — Source

12

KANGJU SAMUEL L. JACKSON WAS PART OF THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT. Jackson and other radical students held his college's trustee members hostage in an effort to reform the school's curriculum. His mother sent him to LA after the FBI threatened him. CRACKED.COM — Source

11

CREED BRATTON WAS IN A WELL-KNOWN FOLK BAND IN THE LATE 1960S. The Grass Roots had several Top 10 hits during Bratton's tenure. Не was a vocalist and guitarist. CRACKED.COM — Source

10

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote a party anthem for his friends about licking his butt. Mozart wrote the 6-Part Canon, Leck mich im Arsch, which loosely translates to Lick me in the Arse. Не also used to keep a journal detailing his farts. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW — Source

9

The Armed Forces of Colombia commissioned a pop song that secretly included a Morse code. The message was in- tended to be heard by their kidnapped mili- tary personnel, which said, 19 people res- cued, you're next. Don't lose hope. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW — Source

8

Some roads in Australia feature trivia games. The games help to coun- teract the risk of fatigue in these 'Fatigue Zones' to keep drivers alert and reduce crashes and fatali- ties on the long, feature- less roads. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW — Source

7

Benito Mussolini's son was a respected Jazz musician. Romano Mussolini toured internationally with artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Helen Mer- rill and Chet Baker. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW — Source

6

A mental patient named Adolf Wölfli took up drawing a 25,000 page book to calm himself. His work included a monu- mental and epic illustrated book of 45 volumes, 25,000 pages, 1,600 illus- trations, and 1,500 collag- es in which he narrated his own imaginary life story. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW — Source

5

'Dirty Dancing' (1987) was the first film to sell over 1 million copies for home video. It also produced 2 multi-platinum music al- bums and is responsible for boosting attendance in dance classes across America. As of 2005, the film was still selling a mil- lion DVDs per year. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW — Source

4

The movie 'U-571' ended up being condemned in the British Parliament. The historical inaccuracies caused many controver- sies, including the fact that the Americans did not cap- ture the Enigma machine. The code had been broken years before they entered the war. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW — Source

3

Nearly every fifth U.S. president has died in office. 18.6% of all U.S. presidents before Donald Trump have died on the job. NOW YOU KNOW CRACKED.COM — Source

2

Parasite has a nod to Pink Floyd. ANOTHER BRICK ANOTHER BRICK Mr. Park's company is called Another Brick -- because Pink Floyd was Bong Joon-ho's favorite band when he was in college. NOW YOU KNOW CRACKED.COM — Source

1

Target lets law enforcement agencies use its forensics lab (for free). Their lab is so advanced, it's one of only two dozen or so private labs accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors. NOW YOU KNOW CRACKED.COM — Source

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